What Winnipeg bylaw officers are looking for in back lanes

More than 900 citations regarding back lane numbers have been made this year, according to city statistics.

The City of Winnipeg has issued more citations for back lane house number violations in 2026 compared to previous years.

According to data from the city, 955 citations have been issued to homeowners so far this year, up from 809 in all of 2021.

The numbers have fluctuated over the past five years, going as low as 283 in 2024 and as high as 818 in 2022.

“Every year, we hire seasonal staff to help respond to the increase in requests we get related to long grass, weeds, etc. during the warmer months,” a city spokesperson said. “With the cooler temperatures we’ve experienced this year, the growing season has been delayed. This means these seasonal staff members have had more time to identify other violations, including missing house numbers in back lanes.”

A city bylaw requires homeowners whose properties are adjacent to a back lane to have their house number attached to a building, fence or other structure, so it’s clearly visible. It is used to help city staff, the public and emergency personnel when trying to identify a home.

Fines for not putting up a house number after being issued a citation are $200 for individuals and $400 for corporations.

-With files from CTV’s Will Reimer